1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lock assembly which includes a shackle that can be substantially shielded to achieve an enhanced anti-theft effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lock devices, such as padlocks, are in common use for locking together two objects. Typically, the objects are each provided with a lobe that has a hole formed therethrough. The shackle of a padlock extends through the holes in the lobes for locking together the objects, such as two door panels. To prevent the shackle from being sawn by a thief, the lobe on one of the door panels is provided with a bent guard plate extending integrally therefrom for protecting the shackle.
However, it is found that the bent guard plate often interferes with movement of one of the door panels relative to the other one of the door panels after the padlock is unlocked and is removed from the lobes, and is thus unsatisfactory. It is further found that the shackle is only partly shielded by the guard plate when the padlock is locked. The shackle is still accessible, and can be damaged, such as with the use of a hydraulic cutter.